Claressa Shields features in HBO’s boxing swan song

By Greg Beachum Associated Press Published 3:11 AM EST Dec 8, 2018 Carson, Calif. — Although HBO has decided to put boxing in its past, the network is leaving the sport by showcasing a possible vision of its future. Cecilia Braekhus was in the first women’s boxing match on HBO , and the dominant Norwegian champion will be in the main event of HBO’s final boxing show Saturday night when she defends her welterweight titles against Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes. On the undercard, two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields defends her middleweight belts against Femke Hermans. Any discussion of the world’s top female fighters must include Braekhus (34-0, 9 KOs) and Shields (7-0, 2 KOs). With women’s boxing on a distinct rise over the past two years, HBO is closing out its 45-year history as a driving force in boxing with a showcase for two fighters atop the sport’s next wave. “It’s an honor to be in this position right now,” Braekhus said. “It’s truly a validation for the great year it’s been for women’s boxing all over the world, and how strong the future is. We have come a long way in the sport, and I believe there are even more opportunities to come our way.” Super flyweight Juan Francisco Estrada also fights Victor Mendez in a matchup of childhood acquaintances from Sonora, Mexico, but this show is being carried by women — including Australian atomweight champ Louisa Hawton, who fights Lorraine Villalobos on the undercard at the famed outdoor arena… [Read full story]